Multi Function Building (MFB) scenario

How would you approach creating a Multi Function Building (MFB)?

Lets say we have a piece of land with zero structure on it and that we plan to do mainframe permaculture, addressing the water, access and structural aspects first. Meanwhile we want a simple MFB that can serve as an early storage, workshop, nursery and perhaps even a makeshift dwelling too. Ideally, the design should meet modest but early site development needs yet be flexible enough to allow the building to be transformed into a guest house or barn or workshop later on as the property develops.

What would that design look like? How big?

What style of building construction technique would you use? Or would you go the caravan/shipping container route?

What considerations would you make to keep construction time brief and costs low?

What other factors would you think need to be considered for an MFB?

Jason Nicoll : Site orientation, Crushed rock pad, open sided pole barn Oriented East-west to get most southern exposure (modified as needed by site characteristics!
Deep over hangs,nwater collection and storage off of roof,parked caravan oriented to get Maximum use of southern exposure in winter, sheltered by overhangs in
Summer, Close in Northern and windward sides, 1st with tarps and hay bails, improvised mini climate, Semi attached mudroom toolroom with potential for expansion
to make greenhouse, Build a Rocket Mass Heater to provide supplementary heating to Mud room and circulate Heat on rising air currents to Caravan!

Re-evaluate site for inclusion of french drains, Urbanite or slab rock foundations not forgetting Electrical, Fresh water, grey water, and Sewer penetrations of the
foundation, being generous in placements for expansion, Slab Floor, Stem walls Possible Cob walls erected around the Enhanced timber framing added to pole barn

Note that Electrical, and water and sewer early on are not planed for until after the sites characteristics and Your housing needs announce themselves,and are not
considered as part of the early build as they will evolve and change many times during the sculpting of your first Multi-purpose dwelling ! Size IS important, but will
probably depend on budget. Maximum use of recycled materials comes from knowing the surrounding Area And expanding your Skill sets! For the Good of the Craft!

Think Like Fire, Flow like a Gas ! Don't be the Marshmallow ! As always your comments and Questions are All solicited and Welcome ! PYRO - Logically ! Big AL

Wow, thanks for all the suggestions.

Check this out:

http://archedcabins.com/index.html

It would be great if we could start getting design like those made available in an open source format for CNC machines. Then we could "print" our own designs using standard wood planks and sheets much like http://www.wikihouse.cc/ are doing.

This technology will enable permaculture businesses to really advance into some cool new areas.

Jason Nicoll : Our Friend and fellow Member here at Permies Jay C. White Cloud has a couple of phrases that he uses in describing " Useable Houses '' !

Vernacular and Indigenous housing, Don't try to build an Igloo in L.A., or a Treehouse in Oklahoma ! The traditional architecture of a region is there because it works.

The Creative Commons derived CNC cut house can be appropriate for many places but not all places, The Arched Cabin will not scale up well and you will have problems
with air exchanges, when you try to heat/cool this space, without proper air exchanges you will end up Hot sticky and dripping wet, or cold, clammy and living in a sealed
zip lock bag !

Two recommendations, do a simple search for Jays Threads here at Permies, and unless you are planning to move to a tropical Isle somewhere prepare yourself for a
''Pasive-house'' of the future designed for local conditions.

A good primer here would be to look at recent work on Cold Climate Housing done by the University of Alaska Fairbanks, simply typing in Cold Climate housing into a
search engine will always get you there.

First read up on Stack effect, and Whole House Stack effect, when you can explain it to your grandmother you will have mastery of the subject !

Next get an idea of the working of 'the arctic wall' and have an Idea where Vapor barriers can and can't be placed !

Without a minimum understanding of appropriate housing you are likely to spend your whole life living in someone else's Zip lock bag, wondering why you have mold
problems !

Think like Fire! Flow like Gas! Don't be the Marshmallow ! As always your comments and questions are all solicited and are Welcome ! Pyro-logically Big AL